Saints Wrap Up Mini Camp.............

blacksaint · 06-04-2007, 01:22 AM

by Dave Lawrence, NewOrleansSaints.com
Jun 3, 2007 – 6:00 pm

The New Orleans Saints closed out their spring 2007 full-squad minicamp with a brisk, 90-minute practice Sunday afternoon. The sun beat down on the players' gold helmets as the team was able to practice outside for the fifth time in three days.

Head Coach Sean Payton said earlier in the day that he was pleased with the overall tone of the camp and that he thought the players and coaches were getting what they had hoped out of the weekend's minicamp.

"I thought that there was a pretty good tempo," said Payton. "The important thing is getting our players up to speed with what we're doing mentally as well as physically as we prepare for training camp. The primary goal is really preparing for training camp."

Working at that good tempo, here are some of the highlights of the team drills:

RB Aaron Stecker set a good tone by bursting through the line on a running play and sprinting the length of the field.

DE Anton Palepoi played the passing lanes well and batted down a pass in the flat from Jamie Martin.

While the non-contact nature of the practices makes it difficult to gauge the play along the line, DE Josh Cooper showed good speed on a number of outside rushes getting into the backfield.

Rookie free agent quarterback Tyler Palko had a good showing in the afternoon session, as the southpaw rolled left out of the pocket and fired a strike through traffic that WR Rhema McKnight caught while falling out of bounds.

Seventh-round pick LB Marvin Mitchell proved to be sound in pass coverage, mirroring RB Jamaal Branch to break up a throw.

The play of the day came in a seven-on-seven period as Palko lofted a beautiful 45-yard spiral down the field that Dante Ridgeway caught as he lunged and rolled to the turf.

During kickoff return drills, Lance Moore showed some shiftiness and eluded a pair of defenders with a quick change of direction.

Defensive end Charles Grant drew a laugh from his teammates as he stepped in to close the return drill and showed some of his old ball-carrying moves from his days as a high school running back.

Drew Brees and Reggie Bush appeared to be in midseason form as the quarterback fired a strike to Bush on a slant and the speedster turned on the jets and ran away from the defense up the seam.

**Cornerback Joe Porter utilized some of his track-star speed, running step for step down the sideline with Jamal Jones and breaking up a long ball thrown by Brees.

While the minicamp concluded with Sunday afternoon's practice, the Saints will be right back on the field Monday morning as another round of OTAs get underway.

Brees, Saints Help To Make-A-Wish Come True: Highlighting Sunday morning's practice was the presence of a special guest. 5-year-old Devan Muller attended the minicamp practice as part of the Make-A-Wish program. The youngster from Mandeville met his heroes and helped the coaches call some long passes for his favorite player, Drew Brees.

Devan had a great view watching from the sidelines and joined the huddle at the end of practice before riding atop Brees' shoulders as the quarterback talked to the media.

**Watch out for this kid Joe Porter at the CB position, he's been making plays all over the place with his track speed, if he don't make the active roster he will do no worst than the practice squad.

saintsrule · 06-04-2007, 04:47 PM

Nice to hear all this information about the practice.

D24pick · 06-06-2007, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by saintsmissile

I think this Porter kid has the potential to be better than both of our draft picks. He was an up and down player for Rutgers due to his flip flopping between football and track. In an interview after be picked up by the Saints, he said he had been working on "dedicating" himself to strictly football. He has size and speed. I like this kids chances.

uh i wouldnt say that. Usama Young has just as much "football speed" and in college was a shut-down cb here in and out. young came into colllge and started and was shut-down. he has came into camp with that same mantality, nothing has changed. now maybe david jones, but not young, young is proven and a strait up stud

Seventh-round pick LB Marvin Mitchell proved to be sound in pass coverage, mirroring RB Jamaal Branch to break up a throw.

this is good to hear. the guy is known as a non-quick, complete run stuffer, who's stiff in coverage. he's been in here working on everything, i hope he can get some pt during the season, i believe he can be that young, athletic type on our defense who comes in and makes plays

blacksaint · 06-08-2007, 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by saintsmissile

CB Joe Porter - Rutgers University: Porter, who holds the 200-meter Indoor school record and became the 2005 Big East Outdoor Track Champion, played in 43 career games for the Scarlet Knights and recorded 93 tackles, 11 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles, five interceptions and four-and-a-half tackles for losses during his four career. Porter was part of a contingent of players who helped the Rutgers program turn the fortunes of the Scarlet Knight around during his four seasons on the New Brunswick, N.J. campus.

Indoor AND outdoor champion! At 6'0 200 pounds, is one of our biggest and fastest corners on the roster. Tellin' ya, man. This kid is a sleeper.

Yo missile, I don't like this kids chances of making the final roster, I love them, this young man is a speed demon with the size of a safety sure to make an impact.

hagan714 · 06-08-2007, 03:15 PM

do not count Porter out. he is in the running for the #1 gunner on ST. I am almost ready to bite the bullet and go with all 3 rookies at CB on the active roster in 07.

Bobaganoosh · 06-08-2007, 04:49 PM

How can you say teams will snap him up if we try to put him on the practice squad when every single team chose numerous times not to draft him. The guy may have a 4% chance to make the active roster.

blacksaint · 06-08-2007, 10:36 PM

Yo Boba all you can give a kid 6' 0" 200 and run a 4.29 is 4%, I think he's chances of making the roster is a lil higher than 4%. I'd say around 40% depending on how well he does with the pads on and things start to get real. But I do believe this kid has a lot of potential, and with this coaching staff's penchant to play the best player his chances go up considerable.

D24pick · 06-09-2007, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by saintsmissile

Porter is bigger, faster and has played against better competition. The kid ran a 4.29 forty. Young's best was 4.39. Football speed or not, it's not even close. I'm not saying that Young is a bad player, I am saying, however, that POTENTIALLY, Porter has more upside.

dude, there's no comparison what so ever. sure porter has played against tougher competetion, but that doesn't stand for much of anything. young came in, as a freshman, started ever since, and has been stout all the way through. young has played some very tough competetion and has still been shut-down against them. more of a better cb than your potential hyped porter was against good competetion. face it, potential takes you no where, until you prove yourself and a productive good player in the nfl, the best players play and thats that. the guy is making plays on deep balls in camp, sort of like the old-devery henderson, but on defense. making defenses in the long, but when it comes to actually being a cb and stopping all routes, hes getting torched out there.

anyone can run a flat-out burner type speed going in a strait line. wr's dont always go in a strait line bro. he has held up well to slant, cut routes ar all! and the reports from camp say so. i'd give him the potential case, but as ina player, potential cant focus over pure productivity and skill

06-04-2007, 01:22 AM	#1
blacksaint DARE TO ENTER Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Home Sweet Home, NEW ORLEANS, La. Posts: 1,154	Saints Wrap Up Mini Camp............. by Dave Lawrence, NewOrleansSaints.com Jun 3, 2007 – 6:00 pm The New Orleans Saints closed out their spring 2007 full-squad minicamp with a brisk, 90-minute practice Sunday afternoon. The sun beat down on the players' gold helmets as the team was able to practice outside for the fifth time in three days. Head Coach Sean Payton said earlier in the day that he was pleased with the overall tone of the camp and that he thought the players and coaches were getting what they had hoped out of the weekend's minicamp. "I thought that there was a pretty good tempo," said Payton. "The important thing is getting our players up to speed with what we're doing mentally as well as physically as we prepare for training camp. The primary goal is really preparing for training camp." Working at that good tempo, here are some of the highlights of the team drills: RB Aaron Stecker set a good tone by bursting through the line on a running play and sprinting the length of the field. DE Anton Palepoi played the passing lanes well and batted down a pass in the flat from Jamie Martin. While the non-contact nature of the practices makes it difficult to gauge the play along the line, DE Josh Cooper showed good speed on a number of outside rushes getting into the backfield. Rookie free agent quarterback Tyler Palko had a good showing in the afternoon session, as the southpaw rolled left out of the pocket and fired a strike through traffic that WR Rhema McKnight caught while falling out of bounds. Seventh-round pick LB Marvin Mitchell proved to be sound in pass coverage, mirroring RB Jamaal Branch to break up a throw. The play of the day came in a seven-on-seven period as Palko lofted a beautiful 45-yard spiral down the field that Dante Ridgeway caught as he lunged and rolled to the turf. During kickoff return drills, Lance Moore showed some shiftiness and eluded a pair of defenders with a quick change of direction. Defensive end Charles Grant drew a laugh from his teammates as he stepped in to close the return drill and showed some of his old ball-carrying moves from his days as a high school running back. Drew Brees and Reggie Bush appeared to be in midseason form as the quarterback fired a strike to Bush on a slant and the speedster turned on the jets and ran away from the defense up the seam. Cornerback Joe Porter utilized some of his track-star speed, running step for step down the sideline with Jamal Jones and breaking up a long ball thrown by Brees. While the minicamp concluded with Sunday afternoon's practice, the Saints will be right back on the field Monday morning as another round of OTAs get underway. Brees, Saints Help To Make-A-Wish Come True: Highlighting Sunday morning's practice was the presence of a special guest. 5-year-old Devan Muller attended the minicamp practice as part of the Make-A-Wish program. The youngster from Mandeville met his heroes and helped the coaches call some long passes for his favorite player, Drew Brees. Devan had a great view watching from the sidelines and joined the huddle at the end of practice before riding atop Brees' shoulders as the quarterback talked to the media. Watch out for this kid Joe Porter at the CB position, he's been making plays all over the place with his track speed, if he don't make the active roster he will do no worst than the practice squad.
	saint4life (504) Last edited by blacksaint; 06-04-2007 at 01:24 AM..

06-04-2007, 04:47 PM	#2
saintsrule 500th Post Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 657	Nice to hear all this information about the practice.
saintsrule 500th Post Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 657

06-06-2007, 12:07 PM	#3
D24pick 500th Post Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Orleans Posts: 578	Originally Posted by saintsmissile I think this Porter kid has the potential to be better than both of our draft picks. He was an up and down player for Rutgers due to his flip flopping between football and track. In an interview after be picked up by the Saints, he said he had been working on "dedicating" himself to strictly football. He has size and speed. I like this kids chances. uh i wouldnt say that. Usama Young has just as much "football speed" and in college was a shut-down cb here in and out. young came into colllge and started and was shut-down. he has came into camp with that same mantality, nothing has changed. now maybe david jones, but not young, young is proven and a strait up stud Seventh-round pick LB Marvin Mitchell proved to be sound in pass coverage, mirroring RB Jamaal Branch to break up a throw. this is good to hear. the guy is known as a non-quick, complete run stuffer, who's stiff in coverage. he's been in here working on everything, i hope he can get some pt during the season, i believe he can be that young, athletic type on our defense who comes in and makes plays
	http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...gle5/art24.png

06-08-2007, 02:42 AM	#4
blacksaint DARE TO ENTER Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Home Sweet Home, NEW ORLEANS, La. Posts: 1,154	Originally Posted by saintsmissile CB Joe Porter - Rutgers University: Porter, who holds the 200-meter Indoor school record and became the 2005 Big East Outdoor Track Champion, played in 43 career games for the Scarlet Knights and recorded 93 tackles, 11 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles, five interceptions and four-and-a-half tackles for losses during his four career. Porter was part of a contingent of players who helped the Rutgers program turn the fortunes of the Scarlet Knight around during his four seasons on the New Brunswick, N.J. campus. Indoor AND outdoor champion! At 6'0 200 pounds, is one of our biggest and fastest corners on the roster. Tellin' ya, man. This kid is a sleeper. Yo missile, I don't like this kids chances of making the final roster, I love them, this young man is a speed demon with the size of a safety sure to make an impact.

06-09-2007, 02:39 PM	#8
D24pick 500th Post Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Orleans Posts: 578	Originally Posted by saintsmissile Porter is bigger, faster and has played against better competition. The kid ran a 4.29 forty. Young's best was 4.39. Football speed or not, it's not even close. I'm not saying that Young is a bad player, I am saying, however, that POTENTIALLY, Porter has more upside. dude, there's no comparison what so ever. sure porter has played against tougher competetion, but that doesn't stand for much of anything. young came in, as a freshman, started ever since, and has been stout all the way through. young has played some very tough competetion and has still been shut-down against them. more of a better cb than your potential hyped porter was against good competetion. face it, potential takes you no where, until you prove yourself and a productive good player in the nfl, the best players play and thats that. the guy is making plays on deep balls in camp, sort of like the old-devery henderson, but on defense. making defenses in the long, but when it comes to actually being a cb and stopping all routes, hes getting torched out there. anyone can run a flat-out burner type speed going in a strait line. wr's dont always go in a strait line bro. he has held up well to slant, cut routes ar all! and the reports from camp say so. i'd give him the potential case, but as ina player, potential cant focus over pure productivity and skill
	http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...gle5/art24.png

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06-08-2007, 03:15 PM	#5
hagan714 LB Mentallity Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 15,870 Blog Entries: 68	do not count Porter out. he is in the running for the #1 gunner on ST. I am almost ready to bite the bullet and go with all 3 rookies at CB on the active roster in 07.

06-08-2007, 04:49 PM	#6
Bobaganoosh PorkchopExpress Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 608 Blog Entries: 2	How can you say teams will snap him up if we try to put him on the practice squad when every single team chose numerous times not to draft him. The guy may have a 4% chance to make the active roster.

06-08-2007, 10:36 PM	#7
blacksaint DARE TO ENTER Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Home Sweet Home, NEW ORLEANS, La. Posts: 1,154	Yo Boba all you can give a kid 6' 0" 200 and run a 4.29 is 4%, I think he's chances of making the roster is a lil higher than 4%. I'd say around 40% depending on how well he does with the pads on and things start to get real. But I do believe this kid has a lot of potential, and with this coaching staff's penchant to play the best player his chances go up considerable.